With age comes wisdom, and moms and maternal figures in our lives are great curators for some of life's best tips and tricks. Whether it be the recipe cards she gifted you, the sayings she said around the dinner table, or the advice she patiently gave you over the phone (even if it was the seventh call that day), our moms are there for us to pass on their greatest lessons. In our life story books, we capture not only the lives they’ve led, but also the advice they wish to leave behind for children, grandchildren and future generations. From lessons on marriage, parenthood, and life, there’s nothing like a mother’s wisdom. Here are some recent favorites:
On Marriage:
“I tricked my husband into marrying me! He thought I knew how to cook, but I had no idea what I was doing. I’d call my mother every day and ask questions like, ‘Mom, how do I roast a chicken?!?’ It never looked or tasted the same. It took me a while to learn her tricks.”
- Jeanette G.
“You have to be careful who you marry! Chemistry is important—I shared that with my daughters! My husband has been a good father, a wonderful man, and he’s still crazy about me after all these years.”
- Corinne M.
“When you have a fight or an argument, which you will, learn to move on. You can’t walk away over a disagreement. Don’t take things so seriously.”
- Agnes G.
“You have to really care for each other. You argue, but then it’s over and it passes. No marriage is perfect. You just hope there are more good times than bad and thank God for that.”
-Tina S.
On Parenting:
“When kids get older, it gets much trickier! To stay connected, you have to learn who they are and what drives them. Through parenting, I learned to be a better listener. Sometimes, you just need to listen, and let kids be bored! Parenting is a tough and exhausting job, but it’s a good kind of work.”
- Kathy T.
“Family comes first. You can disagree, but you have to love them no matter what. Look to your parents for good examples of what this looks like in action. I hope I’ve modeled that. As long as I’m here, I will always be there for my family. I’m just a phone call away!”
- Tina S.
On Youth and Aging:
“If I could tell my younger self one thing, I’d tell her to enjoy it all. Times are so different now. I got married at 20. I don’t regret that. I was lucky and had a great life. I was happy. But I took things for granted, as you do when you’re young. I feel like most people do this. I’ve learned to be grateful for every day and not to take anything for granted. I’m thankful to wake up every morning. Money doesn’t buy health, so I’m grateful for that.”
-Tina S.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be older. I wanted to be more mature and wiser. So I’d tell my younger self, you’re going to be an old lady, don’t rush it! Also, the only person who doesn’t fail, doesn’t do anything. Everyone will make mistakes, including my kids and grandkids. I just hope they don’t make too many.”
- Margarita V.
“They say that youth is wasted on the young. I wasn’t very confident when I was young, probably because I didn’t know enough! If I could go back, I’d tell myself to be more assertive. It’s important to express your thoughts and feelings. In my older years, I’ve really come into my own. I am who I am—take it or leave it! Life becomes more awesome as you get older. You start to realize you don’t have as many days ahead of you as behind you and life becomes a little more precious. Everything is a wow!”
- Laura C.